Convenings for Change
Women Deliver Conferences are among the world’s most far-reaching and influential global spaces for gender equality. They foster unity, energy, ideas, and collective action to address global issues and protect girls’ and women’s bodily autonomy.
Since our first Conference in London in 2007, we’ve hosted six global Conferences, uniting 30,000 global advocates, experts, decision-makers, and leaders in gender equality.
At WD2013 in Kuala Lumpur, the Prime Minister of Malaysia declared family planning a human right. WD2019 in Vancouver saw 8,000 delegates attending in person, with an additional 200,000 joining online and at satellite events. During this event, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya committed onstage to ending female genital mutilation by 2022.
WD2023 in Kigali marked our first conference on the African continent, welcoming 6,000 onsite delegates and 10,000 online participants. At this conference, UNFPA launched the ‘Kigali Call to Action: United for Women and Girls’ Bodily Autonomy’ initiative, aiming to achieve bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and gender equality by 2030. Additionally, the government of Canada announced a $1.4 billion annual commitment to global health development assistance, with $700 million per year dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Our global convenings create unparalleled global spaces for collective action to flourish.
Women Deliver sees global spaces — such as our Conferences and other convenings — as places where advocates, decision-makers, experts, and others come together to tackle international issues and set the stage for future norms, standards, commitments, and action plans. These forums and meetings are crucial moments that drive progress on important issues by creating a sense of global community and shared purpose.
Women Deliver’s Convenings for Change Program goes beyond our Conferences, creating ongoing global spaces for organizations, alliances, networks, and activists to unite and address interconnected issues that stand in the way of gender equality.
Our Convenings for Change program:
- Drives Change: Women Deliver convenings are more than passing moments; they are pivotal global spaces that advance our movement’s priorities before, during, and after our Conferences. Between our Conferences, we tirelessly champion comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, including by countering efforts to strip girls and women of their rights and promoting gender-just climate action.
- Extends Impact: Our Convenings for Change Program builds on the momentum of our global Conferences. It creates regular opportunities for organizations, alliances, networks, and activists to come together. Alongside our partners, we sustain the energy created within global spaces through continuous collective action to achieve our shared goals.
- Grows the Movement: Women Deliver convenings are powerful engines for change. These gatherings unite the gender equality movement to strategize, set goals, hold those in power accountable, and envision the future. They are essential for sustaining, recharging, and growing the gender equality movement.
Women Deliver Conferences have become global spaces where gender narratives and norms are discussed and created, the gender equality movement can be strengthened, and solidarity and momentum are built.
Our Convening Power Places Us At The Forefront of the Global Agenda on Gender Equality.
Our expansive and lasting convening power is ultimately created by the combination of:
- Our deep expertise in global spaces
- Our longstanding partnership with variety of stakeholders, particularly youth advocates
- Our extensive work in collective action
- Our powerful reputation and brand influence
Through the power of convening, Women Deliver bridges the gap between traditionally ignored and marginalized voices and decision-makers, driving advancements in gender equality with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. We look forward to continuing this work at the next Women Deliver Conference in 2026!
How We Work
We advance the health and rights of adolescent girls by creating spaces for collective action, championing and supporting youth advocacy, and convening likeminded organizations. In everything we do, we aim to shift power into the hands of those closest to and living the challenges that girls face.
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